ARCADIA, Calif. – A pair of Bob Baffert-trained juvenile fillies, Eda, a bay daughter of Munnings and Benedict Canyon, a dark bay or brown filly by Midnight Lute, head a group of five fillies going six furlongs in Sunday’s $75,000 Anoakia Stakes at Santa Anita.
Fifth, beaten 18 lengths by stablemate Grace Adler as the 6-5 favorite in the Grade I Del Mar Debutante going seven furlongs on Sept. 5, Eda will try to bounce back in what appears to be a much softer spot. Owned by Baoma Corporation, Eda was second beaten a nose in her five furlong maiden special weight debut June 19 at Santa Anita and was second beaten a head in the Grade II Sorrento Stakes going six furlongs at Del Mar Aug. 6.
In all three of her starts, she has been head and head for the early lead and can be expected to show good speed again as she tries to break her maiden in the Anoakia. Owned by Baoma Corporation, Eda, who is out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Show Me, was purchased for $550,000 out of a Florida 2-year-old in training sale this past March and will be ridden for the first time by Flavien Prat.
Owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Benedict Canyon comes off a gutty nose victory in her second start, a 5 ½ furlongs maiden special weight at Del Mar Sept. 5. Purchased for $215,000 out of the same sale that produced Eda, Benedict Canyon pressed the pace and opened up a length in mid-stretch to just hang on for the maiden money. Ridden by John Velazquez on Sept. 5, Benedict Canyon, who is out of the Medalist mare Bessie M, will be reunited with Abel Cedillo, who guided her to a third place finish in her 5 ½ furlong debut Aug. 21.
An impressive gate to wire first-out winner going 5 ½ furlongs at Los Alamitos Sept. 17, the Simon Callaghan-trained Shes Bout a Mover retains the services of Juan Hernandez and will likely be on or near the early Anoakia lead. Owned by Doug Branham, Shes Bout a Mover sold for $365,000 as a Keeneland January Yearling. By Mastery, out of the Belong to Me mare Dowry, Shes Bout a Mover would appear to have a solid chance in what will be her second start.
Trained by John Shirreffs and owned by Jerry and Tina Moss, Lady T rallied impressively from off the pace to run second, beaten a nose by Benedict Canyon in her 5 ½ furlong debut Sept. 5 and with an abundance of speed signed on for Sunday’s Anoakia, she has to be accorded a huge chance. A $235,000 Keeneland September Yearling, Lady T was ridden by Juan Hernandez but will be handled by Victor Espinoza on Sunday. By hot sire Into Mischief, she’s out of the Malibu Moon mare Red Carpet Miss.
The $75,000 Anoakia Stakes with jockeys & weights in post position order
Race 8 of 9, Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT
1. Eda—Flavien Prat—120
2. Lady T– Victor Espinoza—118
3. Cadillac Margarita – Wayne Barnett – 120
4. Benedict Canyon – Abel Cedillo – 120
5. Shes Bout a Mover – Juan Hernandez – 120
First post time for a nine-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.
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Mike Willman/Santa Anita Press Office
Photo: Charles Chu of Baoma Corporation (Benoit)
